Flirtationship
by The Gabby Effect
Summary: Ellie Bishop tries to figure out Gibbs & Abby's relationship from observing them. Will she figure them out? or like the rest just accept them for who they are... Gibbs & Abby.
1. Chapter 1

***I had a request for a fluffy kind of fic, so I hope you enjoy this little fic.***

* * *

Bishop sat at the bench outside the navy yard taking her now usual break before her mind began to race again. Biting into her sandwich the book that she was reading or try to read fell from her lap to the grass below.

"Wow a book, I haven't seen those in ages." Tony said picking it up from the grass as he took a seat next to her.

Smiling she wiped her mouth. "Thanks." She said while Tony sat the book down between them.

"So, no cheeseburger?" Tony asked smiling while watching her eating her sub.

She giggled as she shook her head. "Nope, so where you going for lunch?" She asked.

"Nowhere." Agent DiNozzo replied as he leaned back against the bench while scanning the parking lot near by.

"Abby said she's going to have lunch with Agent Gibbs, she looked happy." She chuckled. "I mean she looked happier than usual." She smiled.

Tony smiled. "Yeah, Abby… she can smile about almost everything and when she isn't smiling then you know things are really bad." He informed the young lady seated next to him.

Bishop looked around catching a glimpse of Agent Gibbs on his cell phone heading to his parked car with black roses in his hand. Confused she looked at Tony who was also watching the agent in the parking lot.

Seeing the confused look on the young girl Tony smiled. "They're for Abby."

Looking back at Gibbs Bishop nodded. "I kind of figured that, but are they black roses?" She asked still confused.

Tony chuckled. "Yup, Abby loves them and he knows it including everyone, except you I'm guessing."

Smiling she watched as Gibbs placed the roses on the hood of his car while still on his cell. "Okay, I'm still learning a few things since coming here but I haven't figure Gibbs & Abby out just yet."

"What do you want to know?" Tony offered.

"I know they're close… _very_ close. I just can't figure out how to label them." She said still watching the agent in the parking lot.

"They're Gibbs and Abby they don't need a label other than that." Tony jabbed.

Bishop looked at Tony. "Look I love to figure things out but honestly for the life of me I cannot figure them out. I haven't seen them interact together yet but I have seen him on the phone with her and her one the phone with him. It's all about work but there are hints of _things_ that I cannot figure out." She said again while turning her attention to agent in the parking lot.

"They have a very close bond you know something that is normal between people who have been friends for years that's all." Tony said plainly.

"Okay, so him showing up with roses for lunch is normal?" She asked.

"It's normal… for _them_. I mean if I showed up with roses when going out to lunch with McGee now that wouldn't be normal for us." Tony pointed out.

Laughing Bishop shook her head.

"What's so funny?" Abby asked from behind them.

"Tony is just being silly." Bishop explained.

"Aww, that's why we love you, Tony." Abby said ruffling his hair.

"Yeah and that's the reason why boss man hits me." Tony said looking at his boss in the parking lot still on the phone.

"No, he doesn't hit people Tony. Gibbs, he's a good guy and hitting people is just rude plus my Gibbs isn't rude." Abby replied innocently.

"Well, there's _your_ Gibbs and there's the guy who I work with that looks just like him and that guy is pretty mean." He replied.

Abby chuckled. "Speaking of which have you seen my Gibbs? He's taking me out for lunch."

Tony pointed to the parking lot near the Navy Yard.

"Aww… he's waiting for me." Abby said happily.

"Yeah and it looks like he has roses too." Bishop informed her.

"Aww, that's why I love my Gibbs." Abby said while she watched the gunny in the parking lot.

Bishop looked at Tony with another questioning look that Tony only smiled at.

"Hey Abbs you should tell our new buddy here why you love black roses I don't think she hasn't hear it yet." Tony said while looking at the girl seated next to him.

"Um yeah sure!" Abby said excited.

"Abby you don't have too, I mean _your_ Gibbs is waiting for you." She said still trying to read Abby's reaction to her putting emphasis on 'your' to see what she would get but still she couldn't decipher the enigma that was Gibbs & Abby.

"No, its fine it's one of my favorite stories to tell and Gibbs' he can wait a few minutes more." Abby said.

"You sure?" The young lady asked.

"Yeah, he loves me he won't go anywhere without me." Abby smiled.

Tony smiled while Bishop grew even more confused.

"Abby the story" Tony reminded his dear friend.

"Oh right! Okay well this was… you know it doesn't matter how long ago it was."

"That long huh?" Tony teased.

"Shut up DiNozzo I have gunny and I'm not afraid to use him." Abby warned.

Bishop smiled at Abby's reply.

"Okay so I had just taken this job and ever since guys were trying to hit on me."

"No kidding!" Tony exclaimed.

Abby laughed. "Anyway, Valentines Day was just over and my lab was filled with roses from people."

"They're called admires." Tony pointed out.

"You want to tell the story or should I?" Abby asked making Tony zip his lips. "Okay, so my lab looked like a nursery with red, white and pink roses and other things." Abby smiled. "Gibbs came in to my lab for the first since Valentines Day and he didn't care about all the roses or so I thought. The next day when I was nearly done shutting down my babies and getting ready to head home… that's when I heard the elevator doors close. No one was coming but someone was leaving and I only knew one person who is sneaky like that. "

Abby smiled at the thought.

"So, I go get my coat and right there on my desk was a single black rose. It looked awesome surrounded by those other roses and this single black rose that was lying on my desk stood out. No card, no note but I knew who it was from.

Bishop listened like some kid waiting on what was going to happen next.

"Out of all the roses to take home I took that single black rose home and when I was walking to my car someone noticed it too. Agent Gibbs the guy who never really spoke to me since I started working and the only guy who never hit on me since I started working at NCIS came up to my car. He looked shy and nervous which was different from the bad-ass people said he was. He came up to me and asked why I wasn't taking home the other roses. I just smiled at him knowing that he saw the single rose that I was holding in my hand. He just smiled back at me and nodded and without saying anything he turned and left. I went back to unlocking my car door and out of nowhere I hear him say… 'Abbs'.

I turned around because no one ever called me that and I was wondering what he wanted. I waited for him to say something instead he leaned in and quickly kissed me on my cheek and left again while I just stood there holding that rose in my hand. So, ever since black roses have always been my favorite because someone thought I was different and because it came from someone who wasn't like the rest of them, it is unique and special to me… to us." Abby finished while smiling at the gunny who was still waiting in the parking lot.

"And that's where the kisses started too?" Tony asked.

"Yeah, and they haven't stop ever since." Abby beamed.

"Do you remember the rumors after you two got close?" Tony chuckled.

Abby shook her head. "Oh god those rumors I don't think they haven't stop." She laughed.

"What rumors?" Bishop asked.

"They said I was dating Gibbs just because he became a close friend and they talked about me but I didn't mind because I had an awesome friend and through it all we've stayed friends." Abby said.

"Looks like your Gibbs is heading this way" Tony said watching Gibbs approach them with roses in hand.

"Aww… I love my Gibbs." Abby said happily.

Bishop sat quietly while the agent came closer.

"Hey, you ready?" Gibbs asked looked at his watch.

"I've been ready." Abby jabbed back.

"Well?" He said sounding a little annoyed.

Abby giggled. "I'll see you guys." She said while walking toward the gunny. "Why are you so impatient and are those roses for me?"

"I'm not impatient I'm hungry and I've been waiting for you for a long time that I just might give these roses away." He told her.

"You wouldn't." Abby replied.

Smiling Gibbs turned to a woman that was walking by them. "Excuse me would you love to have these roses?" He asked that made Abby scream and run over to him.

"Don't you dare you bought those roses for me?" Abby yelled while she trying to reach for the roses that Gibbs was now keeping from her.

The woman just smiled at the couple as she continued to walk by them.

"I did buy them for you but you made me wait." Gibbs insisted.

Still trying to reach for her roses Abby asked. "How long were you waiting?"

"Ten _whole_ minutes you know what I could have done in ten minutes?" He asked.

Abby burst into laughter and buried her face against his chest.

Realizing what he said and what she was thinking he began to chuckle. "Okay, that didn't come out the way I wanted it to."

"Ten minute gunny." Tony teased.

"Quiet, three minute sex machine." Gibbs replied without missing a beat that cause Bishop to burst into laughter while Abby was still laughing into his chest.

"That's not funny." Tony replied.

Still laughing Abby looking up at the gunny. "So, ten minutes huh?" She asked.

"Shut up, you ready?" He replied smiling at her.

"Yeah, but I want my roses." Abby demanded.

"I don't think you deserve them you know letting me stand here-"

"For a _whole_ ten minutes." Abby added that only made him smile. "So, kiss me and give me the roses." She demanded once again.

"So, demanding." Gibbs mumbled while leaning in to place a kiss on her cheek.

Feeling his lips on her skin she swiped the roses from his hand while Bishop just sat there watching the scene unfold in front of her.

"Hey!" Gibbs yelled feeling the roses being stolen from him.

Laughing Abby returned a quick kiss on his cheek while leading him away from their friends who were seated on the bench.

"And this is _normal_?" Bishop asked Tony who only sat there smiling at his friends.

Shrugging he continued to smile. "Like I said… it's normal for _them_."

"I never heard him talk or smile so much." Bishop said watching Gibbs begin tugged along toward his car.

"What most of us see is Agent Gibbs and when he's with her he's…"

"Different." Bishop finished.

"No, not different, I just think Abby sees him for who he really is and all we get to see is the agent at work." Tony pointed out.

Bishop giggled while watching Abby suddenly stop and began to hop on Gibbs back. "They are fun to watch."

Tony laughed while hearing Gibbs protest while Abby got the piggy back ride that she was demanding. "Fun to be around too… well Gibbs and I are pretty close but he's very different when she's around." Tony shrugged.

Bishop sat watching while Abby was given a piggy back ride to Agent Gibbs car that only made her smile.

* * *

"Maybe we should skip lunch." Gibbs said while trying to look over the roses that were nearly covering his view.

"Why?" Abby asked while enjoying her free ride.

"Because you're heavy" Gibbs teased.

Abby gasped while gently hitting him in the face with her roses that made him chuckle.

"You know I think I'll have lunch with McGee instead." Abby warned.

Stopping he looked over his should at her. "After all this you're gonna ditch me for probie?"

"He's not a probie any more." Abby defended McGee.

Letting her down next to his car he turned around and faced her. "So, let me get this straight after I went to go buy you roses, gave you a piggy back ride and…"

"Don't forget the _whole_ ten minutes that you waited and the things you could have done in that time." Abby jabbed.

Smiling Gibbs approached her. "Still can't get over what I could do in ten minutes, huh?"

"I'm just bringing it up, doesn't mean I was thinking about what could happen in that _short_ amount of time." She smiled.

"Uh huh, well for your information I can make ten minutes the best ten minutes of your life." Gibbs teased.

"I doubt it." She said blushing.

"I can drive you crazy in 3 seconds." He said stepping closer to her.

She smiled as he stood in front of her "I _highly_ doubt that."

Stepping closer he leaned in until his nose brushed hers. "One…" he counted.

He moved in closer until he could feel her breath on his lips. "Two…" he continued.

How close his lips were from hers she found it unbearable to have him this close.

"Thr-"

"Okay!" Abby interrupted as she shoved him away that only made him laugh.

"That was two and half seconds… ten minutes would drive you insane." He smiled at her while she rounded his car to the passenger side.

"Shut up and open my door." Abby said trying to change the subject.

"Open it yourself it's unlock." He told her.

"I thought a marine was a gentleman." She said crossing her arms in protest.

Gibbs groaned while rounding his car that brought a smile to her face.

"A guy looks hot in his uniform once and suddenly all the pretty girls want you to open every door for them." He mumbled as he opened the door for her.

Abby laughed. " Shut up!" and hit him with her roses.

He just laughed while he watched her as she shook her head and a smile that beamed from for that only appeared when he was around.

"So where do you want to go?" He asked.

"I want some pasta, let's go to the one down the street it's only ten minutes aw-"She stopped suddenly realizing what she had unknowingly brought up again.

His smile made her blushed causing her to bury her face in her roses. "Still can't get that off your mind?"

"Oh god…" She mumbled into the bouquet. "I'm shutting up now."

He was going to speak but was suddenly hushed when someone bumped into him.

"Oh sorry, I'm so clumsy." A woman said while picking up a folder she had drop after bumping into Gibbs.

"It's okay." Gibbs replied.

Looking up at the man she had run into she was taken back by how attractive he was. "Um… hi I'm Marcy… with a 'y'." She smiled while holding out her hand.

Taking her hand he greeted her. "Hi, I'm Gibbs."

Abby restrained herself from shaking her head while looking at the woman who was clearly attracted to _her _Gibbs.

"Maybe I'll see around.' Marcy smiled back while heading off to where ever she was going.

Gibbs only smiled while he watched her walk away and slowly turned her attention back to Abby seeing her now shaking her head at him.

"What?!" He asked.

"Well someone has 'ten minutes' on his mind." She pointed out.

He smiled. "No he doesn't but I think she did." He said looking after the woman who was walking away. "Wow, she has a really nice… skirt." He mumbled.

"I have shorter ones." Abby spat.

He chuckled as he looked back at her. "Good point." He replied smiling.

"She's probably the easiest to get ten minutes from." Abby mumbled while getting into his car.

"You think?" Gibbs smiled while looking in the direction Marcy had walked off to.

Abby playfully punched him in his gut. "Get in."

"Jeez" He said as he shut her door.

Smiling Abby waited for him to get into the car so they could finally take their lunch break.

Getting in he turned on the car while Abby was still shaking her head.

"What?" He asked.

Turning in her seat she placed her hand his shoulder and spoke seductively. "Hi, I'm Abby, Abby with a… 'y'." She breathed as she batted her eyes.

Gibbs smiled. "Well, someone's jealous."

"I'm not jealous; I just can't believe how she was flirting with you." She said while sitting forward and began to put her seat belt on.

"Hey there are other women out there that flirt worst than that." He said while reversing.

"Oh, yeah like how?" Abby said while turning on the radio.

"Well there's this one girl that is constantly bringing up something about ten minutes-"

Abby laughed.

"- and there was this one time she dressed up like Marilyn Monroe and called me 'Mr. President;" Gibbs explained.

"I didn't dress up for you!" She raised her voice.

"Yup, her flirting is the worst but she does look good in my Marines t-shirt though." Gibbs finished.

Abby laughed while shaking her head. "I should have gone to lunch with McGee."

"Yeah, and I should have got Marcy's number." He mumbled.

Instinctively she slapped him hard on his shoulder.

"OW!" He said while chuckling while Abby just shook her head as she too was giggling while looking out the window.

* * *

Back at the bench Bishop processed everything she had heard and seen moments ago.

"So have you figured them out?" Tony asked.

"Sort of… if I were to label their relationship I would call it a flirtation…ship." Ellie said still confused.

Tony chuckled as he got up. "Sounds about right."

"Do you think they ever… you know?" Bishop asked.

"Ever what?" Tony said.

"Ever think about being more than friends."

Tony laughed. "What them? No, no way that would just be weird."

"Okay let me ask you this, what would be the difference? He still would be completely different around her and only show his true self to her. She would be taken off her feet not just by piggy back rides but by how much he clearly cares about her. Their interactions wouldn't be any different if they were in a real relationship besides perhaps finally kissing each other on the lips than covering each other in kisses on the cheek." Bishop pointed out.

Tony shook his head. "Don't confuse me."

"Their interaction is something unique and they make you feel so alone just by watching them because they are so perfect together." Ellie continued.

Tony took in a deep breath. "I've been trying to figure them out for years and this is what I got so far. Gibbs he's a riddle wrapped up in a mystery but Abby she already figured him out a long time ago and she's the only one who really knows him. No one will ever know him better than she does and that's why he's so protective over her. He would give his life for her and she would die if she ever lost him, they cannot live without the other that's how close they are. Yeah, every now and then people come and go in their lives, he may be in a relationship but as usual they don't last long maybe because they don't know him like she does. There are no secrets between them and when you ask one about the other they won't say a single word to you because they know the truth about each other and that is a secret they will never share."

Bishop looked at Tony as he smiled.

"I've given up on trying to figuring them out so at the end of every day it is what it is." He finished.

"Which would be?" She asked.

Tony smiled at her. "She's his favorite and always will be. He is her Gibbs and no redhead, attorney, Dr. or Mann can ever change that." He said before leaving her more confused.

Picking up her book Ellie tried to read but set it down while her mind asked more questions.

_'What's with the redheads?'_

_'How was Abby Gibbs' favorite?'_

_'What did Tony mean about attorney, doctor and what __man__ was he referring too?'_

* * *

**~*Drop A Review - I'll Drop A Chapter.*~**


	2. Chapter 2

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* * *

Abby was standing to Ellie's desk when she heard someone call out Gibbs name.

_"Gibbs?"_

He was exiting the elevator when he turned to see who it was calling him.

Smiling she approached the man she had bumped into the day before.

Abby rolled her eyes. "I think I'm going to puke." She mumbled.

Bishop followed her gaze to the woman who was standing to Agent Gibbs. Looking back at Abby searching her friends face. "Um… I'm going out on a limb here but I'm guessing that bothers you."

"No, it…" She trialed off as she watched the woman come closer and stuff a piece of paper in his coat pocket while he just stood there "yes, it does." She admitted while looking at Ellie.

"Why?" Bishop asked.

"She only wants him so that she can parade him around to her friends who are probably just like her and how would that make him feel?" She asked.

Looking back at the elevator Bishop watched him smile at the woman. "I think he would enjoy that."

Abby shook her head. "No, I already know how this is going to go down. After a tough case or when something starts to bother him he's gonna go into _"DiNozzo Mode"_ and call up someone like _that _and she's gonna prance on over, give him what he _thinks_ he wants then drop him after she's found a hotter guy."

"Who could be hotter than him?" Ellie asked before thinking.

The smile on Abby's face could have powered the building for years. "Really Ellie, is that what you think?" She teased.

Regretting that her mouth was quicker than her mind that time she changed the subject as quick as she could. "What do you think he needs?" She asked.

Still smiling from Ellie's reply Abby looked at her Gibbs. "He hates being alone but you wouldn't know that only because he's gotten good at being alone."

Bishop listened to the rare piece of information that Abby was sharing with her.

"There are reasons why he has so many exes… they all expect him to spill his heart to them and say all the right things like some perfect guy. He's not perfect and if they _really_ did love him they would take him just the way he is because he's perfect even with all his flaws. They want him to bring down his walls, forget his past and love only them. They don't understand that his walls are there for a reason and if you really do know him you won't need to over come them you just have to love him just like that, his past is what makes him… him. He can't just love only them because he loves his car and building things they should just be happy that he tries to love them at all." Abby explained.

Bishop looked up at the woman standing in front of her and realizing that she really did have Gibbs all figured out and perhaps she knew all those things because that's how she truly knew him. That she loved him with all his flaws that made him perfect, that she accepted him for who he was and always will be because she didn't dare change the man who was perfect for her, whether she knew that or not. What their relationship was kept people guessing and made them question just how much they really knew Gibbs and Abby, but sitting here Ellie realized something, she didn't need to figure them out they were Gibbs and Abby and that's just the way it would always be.

Gibbs walking by Abby snapped her out of her thoughts that were finally giving up on deciphering them.

"So, what did Marcy with a 'y" want?" Abby asked.

Gibbs chuckled while taking a seat at his desk. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Know what?" Tony said coming into the squad room.

"That Gibbs was swooning over an easy woman… that's easy with a _'y'_." Abby jabbed.

The gunny raised his eyebrow in amusement.

"Oh yeah, did you get her number boss?" Tony asked.

Smiling he pulled out the piece of paper from his coat pocket and held it up to show the younger agent.

Abby rolled her eyes.

"Nice!" Tony exclaimed.

"She said she has a friend." Gibbs smiled at Tony.

"Really?!" Tony breathed getting up to his feet.

"Yup" The gunny replied.

Abby approached Gibbs desk taking the paper from his hands.

"HEY!" He exclaimed.

"I can't believe you two! Especially you, Tony" Abby said facing her friend.

"What?" Tony asked smiling.

"Don't you go ruining what you've been working on for years… she still has those knives and I'm sure she won't hesitate using them" Abby warned.

Gibbs smiled at Tony.

"And YOU!" Abby said turning her attention back to her Gibbs.

He smiled brighter as she stepped closer to his desk.

"You know you could do better than that." She pointed out.

"Really, who would be better than that?" He asked.

"Someone who has more than 10 minutes on her mind, someone who wants forever and someone that makes you happy." She told him.

"Who would that be?"

"I don't know but knowing you; you won't even notice a woman like that if she was standing right in front of you." Abby told him as she turned and walked away with Marcy's number in hand.

Ellie's mind raced _'was Abby suggesting something and what would Gibbs say to that?'_

"Where are you taking that?" Gibbs asked looking after Abby.

"Burn all the easy off of it! That's easy with a 'y'!" Abby yelled from the elevator.

The gunny only smiled as he turned his attention to the files on his desk.

Bishop couldn't believe it; he didn't even pick up what Abby was saying and did Abby know what she was saying? Sitting at her desk she shook her head while getting back to her work all the while Tony stood there looking at his boss.

"Uh, you do know Abby was standing in front of you right?" DiNozzo asked who had also picked up on what Abby said.

"Course she was, your point?" Gibbs replied while signing some documents.

Tony huffed "But… she" He took a deep breath. "Never mind" He said as he went back to his desk.

Taking a seat he looked across at Ellie who only smiled knowing Tony was now questioning Gibbs and Abby's flirtationship again.

* * *

**LUNCH**

It wasn't everyday that they spent lunch together but when they did it was relaxing and even better when they weren't working on a case. So, they all met up at the diner that was undoubtedly Gibbs favorite place to go.

Ellie and Tony were first to arrive so they picked out a booth as they waited for Gibbs and Abby.

"Well, you certainly made me start questioning them again." Tony said taking a seat.

She smiled across at Tony. "Good luck I'm just letting it go, there's no point."

"Great, you give up on them and here I go wondering all over again." He said annoyed.

"I just don't think they try to flirt or even if that's called _flirting_ to them but I mean did you hear what Abby said this morning?" She asked.

"Yeah, I looked at him and he didn't even flinch; he just sat there like it was nothing." Tony said.

"Exactly, _nothing_… maybe it all means nothing to them. Their interactions are purely innocent and I don't think they're flirting it's just how they are." She suggested.

"You know what lets see how they act sitting next to each other." Tony said getting up.

"What?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah move over they're coming." Tony demanded as he flopped down next to her.

Quietly they watched as Abby got out from Gibbs car laughing while he emerged from the driver seat looking at something he was holding.

"That's not funny." They heard him say as he followed Abby who was laughing walking to the entrance.

"Wonder what's going on now?" Ellie thought out loud.

"Time to find out" Tony mumbled while turning his attention to the menu.

Abby was giggling when she scooted down the seat to sit across Ellie.

Tony secretly peeked over the menu at Abby who was smiling at Gibbs as he sat down next to her.

"It had a lot of easy on it." Abby said innocently.

Gibbs chuckled. "I didn't think you would actually do it." He said holding up the small evidence bottle in his hand.

Tony laughed seeing the ashes in it. "She burnt it?"

"Yup, and she give me the ashes." Gibbs said as he set down the bottle on the table.

Abby laughed as she took off her coat. "Hey, if she's meant for you her number will rise from the ashes like a Phoenix."

"The usual gunny?" The waitress asked as she approached the table.

"Yeah" He replied.

"With coffee I take it?" She said jotting down the order.

"Uh, I'm up for a soda." He told her.

"Ooh, with two straws." Abby said happily.

"I'm not sharing with you." Gibbs told her while looking at her.

"Be nice to the girl." The waitress said as she gave him a light head slap.

Looking at the waitress Gibbs was going to protest but seeing her glaring back at him he groaned.

"Two straws" Gibbs mumbled back.

Smiling Abby placed her order. "My favorite salad please."

The waitress smiled back at Abby. "You can have anything you want Abby, he's paying for it anyway." She smiled.

"Am not." Gibbs said looking at Abby.

"You always do now shut up." The waitress told him as she looked at Tony. "And you?"

"Ugh, I'll have your special for today, with a chocolate shake." Tony replied while looking at Gibbs who was grinning at Abby.

"I'll have the same." Ellie smiled at the waitress.

Taking their orders the waitress left their table.

* * *

**Minuets later…**

Tony and Ellie were carefully listening to their banter and never really said a word; not that anyone would be paying much attention to them anyway.

"You need a vacation." Gibbs told Abby.

"Where would I go?" Abby asked.

"Anywhere." He told her softly.

"What if I miss my friends… miss my Gibbs." She smiled at him.

"Why don't you just go with him?" Tony said out loud.

"Doesn't a vacation mean that you want to get away from everything that drives you crazy?" Abby replied. "… _he _drives me crazy."

"Yeah, in two and half seconds." He jabbed.

"I don't think you could've lasted those three seconds also?" She told him.

"I don't think you can last ten minutes." He shot back.

Abby started to laugh while the waitress came up to their table with their food.

Having their orders they began to eat while Tony and Ellie couldn't help but watch as Abby stole a fry from Gibbs plate and watched him steal it back from her.

The waitress clearing her throat snapped them out it. Tony smiled at her as she looked at the oblivious couple eating their lunch.

"It's amazing isn't it?" She said out loud.

Gibbs looked at her. "What?"

Looking at him she smiled. "All the things I've seen in this diner."

"Like what?" He asked before biting into his sandwich.

"I see people come and go and I see things that people just don't know are there." She pointed out.

"Such as?" He asked with his mouth full.

"Love…" She smiled.

Ellie looked at the waitress knowing what she was talking about.

"Love?" Gibbs asked confused looking at the waitress.

"Mmm hmm…" She said looking at the gunny.

Abby looked at Gibbs who was listening intently at the waitress; and with a mischievous grin she knew exactly how to distract him.

"You see I've seen a lot over my years" The waitress continued. "I've seen people sit in this very diner who have gotten married and I've seen people so oblivious that they would know they found love even it-"

Just then Abby leaned over and bit his ear.

"OW!" Gibbs said shooting her a look. "That hurt."

The waitress shook her head. "Yup, wouldn't even know it if it bit them on the ear." She mumbled.

Ellie and Tony both looked at the waitress who continued to shake her head as she walked way.

* * *

They ate their food while their minds wondered about Gibbs and Abby who ate their meal not knowing just how much people around them were reading into their actions and choice of words. How could they just be friends and how long could they remain just friends? Were some of the questions they were asking themselves while they ate.

Soon after all their meals were done they said their _'see you later s'_ and parted. While Tony and Ellie were getting ready to leave the waitress came back taking their plates from the table.

A question was burning on the tip of Tony's tongue and as usual it didn't burn there long.

"So, what do you know about those two?" Tony asked tilting his head to the couple that were walking toward the muscle car.

She smiled as she set the plates back down. Looking at the clock on the wall she let out a sigh.

"I guess I can take my break now." She sat gesturing them to take a seat as she did.

Tony and Ellie sat down wanting to hear what this woman had to say.

"I knew you were itching to say something to me once they left." She smirked while looking out the window seeing Abby hanging on the arm of the gunny. "They're something aren't they?"

"The question is what?" Tony mumbled.

The waitress chuckled. "Oh, I first saw them together…" She smiled. "I rather not say how long ago because she might kill me." She laughed while the two people seated in front of her listened eagerly. "It's been years since that night when I first saw him with her but I remember it clearly."

They watched as the waitress smiled at the memory.

"He brought her here I think it was around the first week that she started at NCIS days before Valentines Day, anyway, he was nervous, shy even, if you can call it that. There was something different about him, he was smiling a whole lot more than usual and she was stealing glances at him, hell all the women here that night were doing the same, they always do." She chuckled. "But he didn't care about anyone else that night, that marine only had eyes for her. They talked, they laughed and I over heard her tell him almost whispering

_'I like you' _

_'I like you, too'_

"… he shyly stumbled through those four little words"

Shaking her head she continued. "There was a silence about them after that little exchange like they were figuring out where to go from those innocent words, maybe it was date maybe just dinner, who knows. Your guess would be as good as mine." She smiled at them. "They left and I went to collect their plates. That's when I looked out the window." She said looking at the window and began to laugh. "As fate would have it this very window here." She smiled. "I look out and I see them standing so close facing each other, I waited for something to happen and he leaned in and kissed her but by the look on her face it was a kiss she wasn't expecting."

Tony frowned while silently questioning what type of kiss it was.

"He kissed her on her cheek." The waitress explained.

The agent raised an eyebrow as the waitress continued.

"Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if he really gave her the kiss that she wanted. Would they have become like Karen and Todd over there." She said nodding in the direction of a couple seated there with a little girl. "That's their daughter Samantha…" She informed the two people seated in front of her.

Tony cleared his throat. "What are they like when it's just them?" He asked.

"You mean when they come here?" She asked.

He nodded.

She pursed her lips. "Not any different then what you saw earlier, though there are times when I see glimpses of that shy marine from years ago and she still steals glances just like any breathing woman in here does when he's here. There were times when she would come here with that young man the one that talks too much about computers and such."

"McGee?" Tony said.

She nodded. "Yeah, but she doesn't look at him like the way she does when she's here with her Gibbs. When she's with him she looks at him like she knows what he's thinking, looks at him like she enjoys that he's here with her and no one else. There were times when he brought others here and I know they were women he was in a relationship with but he never really was like the way he is, when he's with her. They wear their hearts on their sleeve and still they can't see past the words and gestures that mean _nothing _to them now."

"Like the kisses on the cheek or the hugs." Ellie filled in.

"Mmm Hmm… take any two people on the planet and have them do what they do every day they would say they were in love that they are made for each other but no, not them. Their kisses have become innocent, _meaningless_ even. What they say to one another means everything but nothing at the same time." She chuckled. "What could mean everything to everyone else and mean absolutely nothing to them? Now, there's a riddle for the ages." She smiled as she got up from her seat.

Tony and Ellie looked out the window seeing Abby hug her Gibbs while the waitress went back to her job.

"So, the kisses didn't start after he gave her the rose." Ellie pointed out.

"I guess not." Tony said.

"She lied about that; what else do you think she lied to us about?" She asked.

"Dunno, we don't have enough time on this earth to think about that." Tony told her.

"There's no point at all is there?" Ellie asked.

"Nope" Tony breathed as he got up.

Bishop got up after him.

Abby breathed in the scent that was purely _her_ Gibbs. "Mmm… So, no one, hasn't found the smell of sawdust sexy, lately?" She asked.

He smiled. "Nope, poor Marcy never even had the chance to smell the sawdust on me." He teased.

She giggled leaning up placing a usual kiss on his cheek. "You deserve to be loved Gibbs, _really_ loved. Not by someone like her who's only going to leave you in your basement trying to drink away how you felt. You need someone who will never leave you." She told him.

Looking at the woman he held he smiled as he leaned in placing an innocent kiss on her cheek. "You haven't left me yet." He whispered.

"I could never leave you, even I tried." She whispered back.

In that moment they saw something in each others eyes that they never saw before. A hint of something that he only saw in Shannon that he concluded that only _she_ could ever look at him that way, but in this split second he knew he was wrong.

She watched him look at her like he had discovered something, something that had always been there but never seen until now. This gaze didn't last long because it terrified both of them that if they held it any longer their lives would never be as simple as it was now.

How could she love him when he was out of her league? How could he love her the way he only loved the girl with the red hair, so many years ago? Words left unsaid they let each other go physically all the while still holding onto the meaningless love that kept them friends for this long.

Soon after they sat quietly in the car both unsure of what to say; until she gathered her courage and broke the silence between them.

"You forgot this." She said quietly.

He looked at what she held in her hand. He faked his first smile ever since meeting her as he took the small evidence bottle that had ashes in them.

There were no jokes to ease this moment and they couldn't tease their way out this to forget what it was that they saw in each others eyes moments ago. It's the way they always were, the way they always were going to be, right? Just friends with kisses that were innocent gestures of endearment, friends who never considered having it any other way than the way it has always been. A flirtationship that bordered on a line they never saw until today.

A line that would keep them on this side of love and away from the kind of love that, fearless lovers only dared to embrace. While everyone gave up on trying to figure them out they sat quietly in the car now trying to figure out what it is that they saw in a gaze that only lasted a moment. A destination a waited them but it wasn't the Navy Yard it was a destination that was determined on how they would handle what they saw in that split second moments ago.

This is where this story would end and perhaps where a different story would begin; if only they knew what to do about the silence that was killing them.

***poof***

**The End.**

* * *

"Hope you enjoyed this little story."

-The Gabby Effect -

***Read the sequel - THE KILLING KISS***


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